✔️ Pro Tip: Guaranteed Method to Cook Perfect Rice Every Time
Never disappoint with mushy rice again.
Recently one of my besties, whom I consider to be a top-notch at home chef in her own right, texted me this :
I could hardly believe what I was reading. Could it be true that even some of the most seasoned home cooks still struggle to master this uber basic kitchen task? Apparently yes. It’s also one of the most Googled cooking questions in the world (among the top 10).
So let’s get to the bottom of this…
I learned a lot of different ways to cook rice over the years, and I will teach you how on other posts. Each has its merits and uses. There’s the seemingly fool-proof 10/10 method using 1 part rice, 1.5 parts water. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, then take it off the heat, don’t touch the lid, and let it sit for another 10 minutes. Fluff with butter. It’s pretty reliable, but results can vary depending on the thickness of your pot, or the strength of the stove’s flame when at minimum.
Some people say 1 part rice to 2 parts water. Some people say boil it 13 minutes, let it rest 10.
Then there’s the Iranian method, which takes a whole afternoon, and involves building a mountain of parboiled rice, poking holes in it, making a hat with a cloth and a lid, and steaming it in saffron and olive oil. Yes, I will teach you this method some day soon, because it is one of the most delicious rices you will ever eat. I can personally shovel spoonfuls gleefully into my mouth, eat only that for a meal, and genuinely die happy.
But ultimately, what we all want is to be 100% sure we aren’t going to screw up the rice just when dinner is almost ready, and everyone’s coming down the stairs to gather round the table.
There’s a really simple method I learned in professional kitchens that works for all long grain types of white rice, every, single time. For short grain rices, or other specialty rices, you’ll have to consult the cooking directions on the packaging.
Without further ado, this truly fail-safe method requires nothing more than a timer, and a big pot of salty water. Essentially you want to cook it like pasta. Use a lot of water with a lot of salt, boil it for 11 minutes, strain, fluff with butter, and serve. You’re welcome!
Let me break it down for you.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Generously salt as if you were going to cook pasta.
Add your rice (any quantity so long as the proportions are roughly 1:10 rice to water).
Stir until it returns to a boil, and slightly reduce the heat if it’s boiling too hard.
Set a timer for 11 minutes.
Go do something else.
Strain like pasta.
Fluff with butter and/or olive oil.
At this point you can always add a little salt if it needs more seasoning.
Serve steaming hot.
Never disappoint with mushy, lumpy, or undercooked rice again.
Join the community
Your comments and feedback in the community help me to know what my readership wants and needs most. Please feel free to share your thoughts or ask for help. I make it a point to answer everyone.